Card index



March 20, 1945. H. E. SHORT 2,371,713

CARD INDEX Filed Sept. 15, 1943 2 Abbott A.B.

Herbert Esdall; Short His Att orney ance of the card.

Patented Mar. 20, 1945 2,371,713 U j M CARD INDEX Herbert Esdaile Short, Wellington, New Zealand,

assignor of one-half to Precision Engineering a Company Limited, Wellington, New Zealand, a. company of New Zealand 0 i a Application September 15, 1943, Serial No. 502,400 f In New Zealand June 29, 1943 a 8 Claims. (01. 129-16.?) ,7 q q 0 I q j.

l the faces of each card to form the requisite ful- This inventien relates to a card index of the type which comprises a container or drawerand a series of cards arranged therein, each card being provided with projections so arranged and disposed on the lower partbf its faces, that said projections on each side of the card act as a fulcrum or fulcra which co-act withthe fulcrum or fulcra on the card next to the particular face to permit slight pivoting, the arrangement being such that on a card in a limited section being tilted to an appropriate extent by the operator, the lower edge of each card inthe limitedsection is subjected tosufiicient pressure from the lower edge of the preceding cardto cause pivoting of each card in such section about its appropriate fulcrum or fulcra to provide sufficient room between the upper edge of such cards to enable the 'operator to identify the particular card required in that section Various means have been suggested for giving the aforesaid pivotal eiiect to card indexes of the type above referred to but have not come into general use, so far as I am aware, owing to the disadvantages attendant upon the practical application of the proposals so far suggested.

By the present invention, however, there has been devised a card index of the type above recrum or fulcra. a a a a Thejinvention may further be said to comprise for use in a card index of the type described a card provided with a bulgeor bulges on each face formed by an insert or inserts located within the thickness of the card to form therequisite fulcrum or fulcra.

A preferred constructional embodiment of the invention will now howev'erbe described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which;

Figure 1 shows an elevation of a card with the'inserts' applied theretoand showing at one corner a portion ofthe thicknessof thecard torn back to show the insert therein,

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the card, Figure 3 is a magnified elevation of the inserts,

Figure 4 shows a partial side elevation of a drawer with the cards therein exaggerated in ferred to which is entirely satisfactory for commercial use and has the following advantages:

(a) In the preferred construction, the insert to provide the pivotal effect is removable, so'that the cards on removal of said insert, are reduced in bulkto almost their original size for storage purposes. a I

(b) In the preferred construction, the operator can readily re-insert the inserts if the card verted position. (g) There is no possibilitypi a cardfouling adjacent cards on re-insertion.

(h) The projections aretnot so noticeable-as to detract substantiallyfrom the normal appear- ,The invention consists broadly in a card index of the type described wherein the projection's on each card are formed by an insert orinserts located within the thickness of the card to bulge card,

thickness, the side oi the drawer being broken away and a finger shown causing pivotal forward movement of the cards,

Figure 5 is a sectional end elevation on the line A-B, Figure 4, and

Figure ,6 shows a perspective view of the chan nel shaped bearer member which rests in the drawer and carries the control plates.

The inserts 3 (see Figure 3) are preferably made of thin Celluloid butmay be made, of'any other approved material such for instance as cardboard. Said inserts 3 are preferably made with a square end 6 and extend to a point I at the other end, theedges 8 and 9 extending from the square end 6 to the oint I being sharpened or tapered. This construction:

(a) Provides a tapering, effect in the bulge on,

the faces of the card which eliminate any tendency to foul other cards on the card being'reinserted into the drawer, g (b) Minimises the possibility ofithe insert being torn out, 1 0 i (0) Provides a less obvious projection in the (d) Permits casein writing over the projection, and at the same time the pointed end 1 enables the inserts 3 to be pressed home into the thickness of the card I.

Each card is provided with its own c ompen-Q sating insert, or inserts whereby the maximum thickness in the upper portion of the card is substantially the same as in the lower portionof the card, inserts 3 preferably made as indicated above being provided to form the'thiclmessesl g. a

To insert said inserts 13 into the-thickness of the card, the edge'of the card may be penetrated ICE;

the like of'appropriate size so that on the knife blade being withdrawn, the insert can readily'be pushed in and yet be held in place. For general purposes, it is found that the thickness of the insert may approximate the thickness of the card but an increasedthickness may be employed so long as the thickness is not so great as to tear the surface of the card on enetration.

made of substantially solid material such as Celluloid, the sharpened end of the insert, can be driven in through the edge of: the card without knife blade or the like. Again, it will be apprevenient and approved quick-settingliquid or semi-liquid such as glue, sealing wax, calcium being pressed in a mould before the materialis Further, ;although. in the preferred construction there have-been shown two inserts in the lower portion with two appropriately placed in.

serts to provide compensating projects in the upper portion. of. each card, it will be understood that one centrally disposed insert to provide a pivoting projection could be appropriately provided in the lower portion or the card with a correspondingly-disposed insert to provide a compensating. projection or bulge in the upper portion of the card, in-which case there would obviously be only one pivoting fulcrum on each lower face of each card.

' The distance of the upper bulges 2 from the-top edge of the cardis equal to the distance-of the lower-bulges 2 from the bottom edge of the card.

so that it is immaterial whether any particular card or cards are inserted in the drawer I ininverted position.

It is necessary to have asuflicient number of cards in the drawer so that while they are sufficiently adjacent to enable them to pivotally operate on their respective fulcra the cards are not under such compression as to prevent the requisite fanning outat the top.

To assist inregulating the amount the cards can be compressed, and to prevent the tendency of the cards at. the front I2 of the drawer H] to erted by the whole weight of the rearward cards when the drawer I0 is moved in and out of the cabinet, controlplates or partitions l3 are fitted into the drawer Ill so that same is divided up into the desired number ofv longitudinal divisions l4 which will each hold the number of cards found most suitable, these control plates supporting the cards at the desired angle.

These control plates [3 are preferably made of rectangular form and are fitted intothe drawer Hlby having key form lugs. I5, I56, extending from the ends of' their bottom edges I 6. these lugs. 15, l5a being, engaged through slotted holes I? formed in the channel shaped bearers [8 (see lugs 15, l5a will engage under the upper. face'20 of the bearers l8 and permit the control plates l3 to pivot backward. and forward to a desired limited extent but prevent said plates l3 from being lifted out of the bearers l8 when same are placed within channels'orgrooves 2! formed just inward from each'sideZZand 22a ofthe drawer I in the bottom 23' thereof.

These bearers-l 8 are not secured'to the drawer It will be understood that where the insert is sulphate or cement, may be injected, the cards set to obtain projections of the desired thickness.

ride up on each other due to forward pressure ex- Figure 6) so that the tongue portions Not the.

' the necessity of making a slit-by the use of a thin.

ciated that for a permanent insert (that is to say,"- one which is not readily withdrawable) any con- A I 7 2,371,713 to the desired distance by a thin knife blade or ill, but merely rest within the channels or grooves 2|, and the control plates l3 have to be fitted into the slottedholes ll. of the bearers l8 before the latter are placed into the drawer ID in that the channels 2| are so spaced apart as to necessitate the tongues l9 being moved to inward positions under the upper facesZt), the key form lugs l5, I5a including their tongues [9 having a slight set in relation to the control plates l3 if so desired to give a slightly greater rearward inclination than forward inclination.

To form the divisions M in the drawer ll], there will be a control plate l3a at the front l2 of said drawer which willbe inclined towards said front 12, the other control plates 13 all being. inclined rearwardly, but as they can pivot as mentioned, onthe cards being fanned out from a position at the rear of the drawer, the cards I and control plates which are to the front of the opening will be caused to incline forward.

The operation of the invention and themanner in which it is to be performed will be obvious from the preceding description.

1. An index card provided in this thickness near one of it'shorizontal edges with at least one small pocket open at one edge of the card, and

an insert in said pocket of a thickness to distend the same so as to form on the opposite faces of said .cardjbulges adapted to cooperate with corresponding bulges on the faces of adjacent cards in a card index and to provide fulcra on which the cards may pivot under pressure.

2. An index card, as claimed in claim 1, in which said bulges occupy corresponding areas on opposite sides of the vertical center line of the card. I M r r 3. An index card, as claimed in claim' 1, in which said insert consists ofa solid piece of ma; terial and is withdrawable from said pocket.

4. An index card, as claimed in claim 1, in

" which said insert consists of a solid piece of material taperingtoward its forward end to .facilitate insertion into the pocket.

5. An index card, as claimed in claim 1, in which said insert consists of a solid piece of material tapering in thickness toward its forward end.

6. An index card-as claimed in claim'l, in which said insert consists of a solid piece of material tapering in width toward its forward end. 7. An index card provided with two pockets in its thickness near one of its horizontal edges, said pockets being" 'a'djacentto and open at the lateral edges of' said card, respectively, and inserts in said pockets to distend the same so as to form bulges on the opposite faces .and adjacent said horizontal edge of the card.

8. 'An index card provided near each of its horizontal edges with at least one small pocket open at one edge of the card, and, in each of said pockets, aniinsert of. a thickness to distend the pocket soasto form bulges on the opposite faces of said card; the bulges near either horizontal edge being adapted when the card is used with such edge as itsbottom edge to cooperate with corresponding bulges on the faces of adjacent cards in a card index and to provide fulcra on which the cards may pivot under pressure; and

' the bulges near the other edge of the card compensating for the thickness of the bulges near the bottom edge and permitting use of the card in inverted position. v i

' 2 "HERBERT ESDAILE SHORT. 

